Umbrellas have been mandatory equipment so far at the Senior PGA. (Photo by Gene J. Puskar/AP)

Back on Track

The rain, which washed out play before noon on Saturday, let up overnight,
and play resumed at 8 a.m. Sunday with the field in the middle of the third
round.

PGA.com news services

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- A huge day of golf looms Sunday at Aronimink Golf
Club as the 64th Senior PGA Championship faces a monumental task to finish
a full 72 holes and crown a champion as scheduled. But at least the weather
is cooperating.

The rain, which washed out play before noon on Saturday, let up overnight,
and play resumed at 8 a.m. Sunday with the field in the middle of the third
round. The players picked up where they left off Saturday, which left the
leaders facing as many as 31 holes if, as tournament officials hope, both
the third and fourth rounds can be completed before nightfall.

When play was called, Seiji Ebihara of Japan held the lead at four under
par, with Allen Doyle, John Jacobs and Gil Morgan tied for second at two
under par.

If all goes as planned Sunday, said Kerry Haigh, the Senior Director for
Tournaments at the PGA of America, the players will tee off in the fourth
round between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. If there are no further delays, he
explained, the event could end between 5 and 6 p.m., he said. If necessary,
he added, play could spill over to Monday.

Saturday Grounds, Clubhouse and Trophy Club tickets will be honored on
Sunday, officials said. Corporate Hospitality and Champions Club tickets
will be honored as Grounds tickets with access to the Trophy Club on
Sunday.

General public parking for Sunday will be at Delaware County Community
College located off Route 252, two miles south of the Route 3 intersection.
Volunteer and Corporate Hospitality parking will be at the SAP America lot
V parking area in Newtown Square.

Haigh and his fellow tournament officials suspended play at 11:53 a.m.
Saturday when they deemed the course had become unplayable. They made that
decision after they realized that players could not find suitable drop
areas.

"When it became sort of unfair, at that point, we immediately suspended
play -- when the player's nearest point of relief was 40 yards away in the
rough, which it was on No. 9 fairway," he said. Up until then, players had
to move the ball in and around the hole for putts and what have you, and
the distance they were moving was not substantial."

Ebihara didn't mind the wet, dreary weather that forced the suspension of
the third round before noon Saturday. Ebihara birdied two of his first five
holes, moving to 4-under and taking a two-stroke lead before rain forced
play to be halted.

Ebihara hopes that the momentum he built Friday with a course-record tying
4-under 66 and maintained Saturday will carry over.

"I really didn't want to stop it," Ebihara said through a translator. "But
looking at how it was on the 18th hole, it's something that couldn't be
helped."

The 54-year-old Ebihara has played in nine Champions Tour events, finishing
in the top-10 in only one tournament.

But Ebihara, who has spent much of his career in Asia and Europe, is
playing his fourth Senior PGA. His 5-under 65 in the final round at the
Firestone last year gave his confidence entering this year's tournament.

"Now, I understand how the courses are laid out," Ebihara said. "I
understand how you're supposed to play."

Ebihara didn't miss a fairway or a green in regulation in his shortened
round. He made two birdie putts, on the third and fifth holes, to reach 4
under.

Meanwhile, Morgan and Doyle struggled.

Morgan, who also tied the course record with a 66 Friday, parred his first
hole before getting consecutive bogeys on the par-4 second and third. Doyle
also had two bogeys -- on Nos. 3 and 4 -- to fall into the three-way tie
for second.

"It was very difficult out there," Morgan said. "There are so many things
going on. Opening umbrellas, trying to keep dry. It makes it more
complicated. And the grass is so wet. You don't know what's going to happen
with the ball."

The leaders are facing the possibility of 31 holes Sunday -- if the weather
cooperates.

"Fatigue will be a factor," Morgan said. "The golf course will play long.
The rough's going to be high."

Ten golfers started the day under par on Saturday. Only four -- Ebihara,
Doyle, Morgan and Jacobs -- stayed there.

Tom Kite opened the third round at 2 under, but he made a triple bogey at
No. 3 and was at even-par after five holes. Defending champion Fuzzy
Zoeller bogeyed three of his seven holes and was at 1 over.

Craig Stadler got off to the roughest start, but it had nothing to do with
the weather. Stadler was late for his 10:05 a.m. tee time and penalized two
strokes. He completed seven holes at 3 over par after starting the day at 1
under.